Air conditioner

ABSTRACT

A front assembly for a room air conditioner includes a peripheral rectangular frame providing support structure which yieldably carries a decorative panel coextensive with that portion of the frame defining the openings for the control panel and air filter of the evaporator within the air conditioner, the support structure providing track means for guiding follower means on the panel for sideways movement of the panel to permit access to the controls, the track means also yielding to release the follower means for forward removal of the panel from the front assembly, the track means and follower means supporting the panel forwardly of the rectangular frame thereby providing an annular gap therebetween for airflow to the evaporator.

PATENTEUJUH15 SHEET 1 BF 3 INVENTOR WILFORD P. CRISE WITNESSES W T K /6 Ki/574% W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3.274919 9/1966 Wegman 62/262 3,277,663 10/1966 Ulich 62/262 3,306,069 2/1967 Wegman 62/262 3,354,809 11/1967 Orr 62/262 Primary Examiner-William J. Wye Attorneys-F. H. Henson and E. C. Arenz ABSTRACT: A front assembly for a room air conditioner includes a peripheral rectangular frame providing support structure which yieldably carries a decorative panel coextensive with that portion of the frame defining the openings for the control panel and air filter of the evaporator within the air conditioner, the support structure providing track means for guiding follower means on the panel for sideways movement of the panel to permit access to the controls, the track means also yielding to release the follower means for forward removal of the panel from the front assembly, the track means and follower means supporting the panel forwardly of the rectangular frame thereby providing an annular gap therebetween for airflow to the evaporator.

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FIG.

FIG.

AIR CONDITIONER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a room air conditioner and more specifically to a front assembly therefor.

As installed, room air conditioners are typically relatively conspicuous from within the room. Since the front containing the air inlet to the evaporator should not block the air return to the evaporator when the conditioner is operating, it is preferable to have that portion of the conditioner facing into the room, namely, the front assembly, esthetically harmonious with the general decor of the room, while providing sufficient openings for the return air to the evaporator.

Another desirable feature of a front assembly is to have it provide ready access to the air conditioner controls as these sometimes require frequent adjustment, and also provide access to the area in front of the evaporator for simple maintenance such as replacing the air filter. Consideration of such preferable features as discussed above has resulted in the provision of removable sliding panels in front assemblies having either generally open grilles of little attractiveness or solid decorator panels having substantial attractiveness but which require being moved to an open position whenever the condi' tioner is operating.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a front assembly for'a room air conditioner having a decorative panel generally covering the controls and evaporator air inlet, which can be moved generally parallel to the face of the air conditioner to permit access to the controls as is known in the art and which also can be easily removed generally forwardly of the face of the air conditioner to permit access to the air conditioner for simple maintenance, especiallyfor servicing the air filter of the evaporator or for ready substitution of a differently decorated similar panel and also provides sufficient air flow to the evaporator air inlet even where the panel is covering the inlet opening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, as utilized with a generally conventional air conditioner having an upper conditioned air outlet and a lower room air inlet to the evaporator and a control panel on the front face of the air conditioner, generally comprises a front assembly of rectangular peripheral frame construction enclosing an upper air outlet portion, and a lower portion, generally inset toward the conditioner from the peripheral frame, having openings therein providing access to the control panel and air filter at the room air inlet, and a movable decorative panel superimposed across the openings and guided for horizontal movement parallel to the front assembly by roller means on the back of the panel held in opposed, parallel, horizontally extending track means secured to the front assembly, at least the track means or roller means being yieldable for vertical displacement whereby the roller means can be freed from the track means and the movable panel removed forwardly exposing the openings, and wherein the roller means and track means support the panel offset forwardly from the lower portion a distance sufflcient to clear the peripheral frame as the panel is moved horizontally, the space between the panel and the inset lower portion along with the space between the panel and the peripheral frame further providing an air inlet gap permitting air flow to the evaporator air inlet.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIG. I is an isometric view of the room air conditioner with portions ofthe front panel partially broken away;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the back side of the front panel;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of the lower track;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged bottom view of the track and attaching means; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross section ofa lower roller attached to the panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The air conditioner 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 comprises a casing 14 containing the conventional refrigeration and air moving means (not shown) and having a front assembly 10 comprising a peripheral frame 16 generally divided into an upper portion enclosing adjustable directional vanes 18 of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,319 for example, and a lower portion enclosing a planar surface, the face 15 ofwhich is inset from the peripheral frame 16 as best seen in FIG. 3, and containing openings 20 and 22 providing access to the air filter 24 in the return air inlet to the evaporator 25 and operating controls 26, respectively.

Extending horizontally across the air inlet opening 20 are opposing parallel guide means comprising an upper track 28 and a lower track 30, as illustrated in FIG. 2, both tracks 28 and 30 being offset forwardly from the face 15 of the lower portion, as best seen in FIG. 3. The upper track 28 is generally T-shaped having a shank portion 32 :and a crosshead 34, the shank portion 32 extending rearwardly from the outwardly spaced crosshead 34 providing a horizontally extending track across the length of the opening 20. At properly spaced intervals along the horizontal length of the shank portion 32 are notches 36 interrupting the otherwise straight edge thereof. The upper track 28 is attached to face 15 through the upper attaching means 39 extending between the face 15 and the ends of the track 28. As the front assembly 10 is preferably a molded plastic, the upper track 28, attaching means 39 and face 15 are molded as a unitary structure.

Still referring to FIG. 3 it is 'seen that the lower track 30 also has a generally T-shaped cross-sectional area with a shank portion 38 and a crosshead 40. The shank portion 38 is of a width substantially equal to the length of the attaching means 39 of the upper track 28 so that the crossheads 34 and 40 of the tracks 28 and 30 are offset from the face 15 an equal distance. The lower track 30 extends horizontally across the opening 20 in the face 15 in the same manner as the upper track 28 providing parallel opposing guide means as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The lower track 30 is secured to the panel 16 through yieldable attaching means, as shown :in FIGS. 4 and 5, which includes a spring-biased hinge at both ends of the lower track 30, with the attaching means on only one end being described in detail, the other end being a mirror image.

As more clearly shown in FIG. 5, the lower flange of the crosshead portion 40 of the lower track 30 terminates in two flanged portions 42 and 44 depending from the shank 38 of the lower track 30, each flanged portion 42 and 44 being substantially perpendicular to the crosshead 40 thereby defining a generally F-shaped end. Extending outwardly from the planar surface of face IS and perpendicular therewith is a tab 46. Tab 46 is received between the two depending flanges 42 and 44 of the lower track 30 and a pin 47 is inserted through commonly aligned apertures in the flanges 42 and 44 and tab 46. Pin 47 is held in position by any suitable means such as deforming both ends so as to make them oversize for the apertures. A round cylindrical spiral wire spring 48, the ends of which terminate substantially perpendicular to each other, as seen in FIG. 4, is also received between depending flange 42 and tab 46 and held in position by the pin 47 as it is received in the cylindrical windings of the spring. Thus the lower track 30 is pivotally attached to the face I5, with the wire spring 48 normally urging the track 30 to swing in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4. Thus the track 30 is yieldably held in its normally operative position, as shown in FIG. 4. It is to be further understood that the apertures which receive the pin 47 in the depending flanges 42 and 44 are placed in close proximity to the lowermost right-hand corner, as viewed in FIG. 4, so that the track 30 can be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction without the flanges interfering with the face 15. By the same token, the track 30 is prevented from rotating substantially past its operative position in the clockwise direction by the upper portion of the flanges 42 and 44 and the shank portion 38, abutting the face 15. However, limited rotation in this direction is possible by virtue of such arrangement and provides a desirable gripping effect as will later be explained.

Included in the front assembly is a removable rectangular panel 50 having dimensions so as to be generally smaller than the lower portion of the front, as enclosed by the peripheral frame, thereby providing an annular gap 66 between the panel and the frame, yet covering the openings and 22 in the face 15, as is seen in FIG. I. Rotatively attached to the back surface of panel 50 are follower means comprising upper flanged rollers 32 and lower conical rollers 54. FIG. 6 illustrates a typical preferred attachment in conjunction with a conical roller, it being understood that all rollers are similarly attached. Projecting from the backface of the panel 50 and molded integrally therewith at appropriate positions for the placement of the rollers are thin-walled bosses 49 having a centrally located bore 51. A metal cap 55 surrounds the boss 49 providing support for the walls of the boss 49, and contains an aperture 61 aligned with the bore 51 in the boss 49. A roller, such as 54, having an oversized hub 63 is rotatively received by the boss 49 and metal cap 55, and a self threading screw 53 having an integrally attached oversized washer 57 is screwed into the bore 51 of the plastic boss 49. The height of the boss 49 being greater than the thickness of the roller 54, the roller is loosely held between the washer 57 and panel 50.

As seen in FIG. 2, the panel 50 has attached to its back face a pair of upper rollers 52 and a pair of lower rollers 54 Upper rollers 52 are preferably flanged rollers, more clearly shown in FIG. 3, having the flanged portion 46 of the rollers displaced a short distance from the back of the panel by an extending hub portion 58, while lower rollers 54 are in the form of a truncated cone, more clearly shown in FIG. 6, having the smaller diameter of the roller adjacent the rear face of the panel 50. The rollers 52 and 54 are positioned on the panel 50 such that the upper rollers 52 are received in track 28 with their axes below the crosshead 34, and the flanged portion 46 of the rollers 52 adjacent the lower surface of shank 32, while the axis of lower rollers 54 is above the lower track 30, the conical surface of the lower rollers 54 is adjacent the upper edge of crossshank 40 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Also, the distance between upper rollers 52 and lower rollers 54 is such that, when received in tracks 28 and 30 respectively, track 30 is forced, against the biasing of spring 49, from its at rest position wherein the flanged portions are biased against face 15, to its operative position shown in FIG. 3. Such displacement pro vides a constant gripping force on the rollers when received in the tracks. With such an arrangement the panel 50 can be moved longitudinally along the face 15 of the front assembly 16 with the rollers 52 and S4 guided for movement in the tracks 28 and 30 respectively. The notches 36 provide stop means into which the upper rollers are urged through the action of springs 48 on the lower track in the extreme positions of the longitudinal movement of the panel 50.

With the front assembly 16 attached to the casing 14, the panel 50 is assembled in the tracks 28 and 30 by placing the lower rollers 54 on the track 30. This is facilitated by the largest diameter of the lower rollers 54 being farthest from the backface of the panel 50 and thereby allowing visible manual guidance of the rollers 54 onto the track. With the face of the panel 50 substantially parallel with the face 15 of the assembly 16, a downward force is exerted on the panel 50, rotating the lower track 30 against the force of springs 48 and lowering it a sufficient distance for the upper flanged rollers 52 to clear the crosshead'34 of the upper track 28 prior to rearward movement of the rollers 52 to place them immediately below the upper track 28, and the lowering pressure released. The spring 48 has sufficient strength to rotate the lower track 30 back into operative position against the light weight ofthe panel 50. thereby raising panel 50 and upper rollers 52 into guided relationship with track 28 and maintaining it there until sufficient external force is applied to remove it. With the follower means 52 and 54 of the panel 50 thus gripped between the opposing tracks the panel 50 can be moved longitudinally to an open position (shown in dot-dash outline in FIG. 1) exposing the controls for any necessary adjustments, or a closed position where the openings 20 and 22 are covered by the panel 50 giving a decorative appearance to the front assembly 16. Removal of the panel 50 requires the same procedure in the inverse order as described for assembly, namely, applying a downward pressure on the panel 50 thereby rotating and lowering the lower track 30 a sufficient distance for the upper flanged rollers 52 to clear the upper track 28, rotating the panel 50 forwardly until the upper rollers 52 are free of the upper track 28 and lifting it out.

The panel 50 is preferably a molded plastic panel having perforations achieved, in this instance, through the decorative structure of a loose weave as illustrated in FIG. 1, providing air passages therethrough, yet providing a pleasing appearance which effectively conceals its own support structure, the controls and the air inlet opening therebehind, The open area of the panel 50 provided by the perforations plus the open area of the annular gap 66 between the peripheral frame 16 and panel 50 in conjunction with the space 68 provided by the forwardly affect mounting of the panel 50 provides sufficient airflow passages to the air return of the evaporator 25 covered thereby. It is apparent that a solid panel could also be used in which case a larger annular gap would be required, as by decreasing the dimensions of the panel and offsetting it further outwardly, to provide sufficient open area to deliver the required airflow to the evaporator.

Thus, the invention provides a highly decorative front assembly for an air conditioner, concealing the controls and air filter in the air return to the evaporator even when the conditioner is operating and which also provides easy access to the controls and air filter for manipulation or charging.

lclaim:

1. In a room air conditioner:

a casing having a room side face including a lower portion presenting a control panel and an evaporator air inlet:

a front assembly for said room side face including a peripheral frame dimensionally coextensive with said casing face;

said frame being generally divided into an upper portion having air outlet means and a lower portion being generally coextensive with said control panel and air inlet;

a panel of generally smaller dimensions than the area defined by said lower portion, covering said control panel and air inlet and thereby providing an annular gap between said panel and said peripheral frame when in its closed position;

means connecting said panel to said frame in a forwardly offset plane so as to provide a space between said lower portion and said panel;

said space and said annular gap providing return airflow means to said air inlet; and,

means mounting said connecting means for movement between a first and second position wherein said connecting means guides said panel for horizontal movement along said face to expose said control panel when in one of said positions and permits the removal of said panel forwardly from said frame in the other of said positions.

2. An air conditioner according to claim 1 wherein:

said connecting means comprises a pair of horizontally extending track means supported by said frame and follower means carried at the rear of said panel and in engagement with said track means.

3. An air conditioner according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes:

means biasing at least one of said track means and follower means into engagement with each other, and being yieldable to permit the disengagement of said follower 7 means and said track means for said forward removal of said panel from said front assembly.

4. An air conditioner according to claim 2 wherein:

taching means for supporting said tracks;

said attaching means on at least one of said track means being yieldable for vertical displacement of said one of said track means.

7. An air conditioner according to claim 4 in which said yieldable means includes:

spring means interspersed between said one of said track means and said lower portion of said frame for normally biasing said one of said track means towards the other of said track means. 

1. In a room air conditioner: a casing having a room side face including a lower portion presenting a control panel and an evaporator air inlet: a front assembly for said room side face including a peripheral frame dimensionally coextensive with said casing face; said frame being generally divided into an upper portion having air outlet means and a lower portion being generally coextensive with said control panel and air inlet; a panel of generally smaller dimensions than the area defined by said lower portion, covering said control panel and air inlet and thereby providing an annular gap between said panel and said peripheral frame when in its closed position; means connecting said panel to said frame in a forwardly offset plane so as to provide a space between said lower portion and said panel; said space and said annular gap providing return airflow means to said air inlet; and, means mounting said connecting means for movement between a first and second position wherein said connecting means guides said panel for horizontal movement along said face to expose said control panel when in one of said positions and permits the removal of said panel forwardly from said frame in the other of said positions.
 2. An air conditioner according to claim 1 wherein: said connecting means comprises a pair of horizontally extending track means supported by said frame and follower means carried at the rear of said panel and in engagement with said track means.
 3. An air conditioner according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes: means biasing at least one of said track means and follower means into engagement with each other, and being yieldable to permit the disengagement of said follower means and said track means for said forward removal of said panel from said front assembly.
 4. An air conditioner according to claim 2 wherein: said track means comprises a pair of horizontally disposed parallel tracks; and, said follower means comprises rollers rotatively mounted on the rear face of said panel and received by said track means for horizontal movement therealong.
 5. An air conditioner according to claim 2 including: stop means on said track means for limiting horizontal movement of said follower means therealong.
 6. An air conditioner according to claim 2 wherein said track means includes: a pair of horizontally disposed parallel tracks having attaching means for supporting said tracks; said attaching means on at least one of said track means being yieldable for vertical displacement of said one of said track means.
 7. An air conditioner according to claim 4 in which said yieldable means includes: spring means interspersed between said one of said track means and said lower portion of said frame for normally biasing said one of said track means towards the other of said track means. 